Celebrating Emily's 3rd birthday

Summer birthday parties are always so hard to organize because of people who are vacationing, busy weekends and the like. My birthday is in July and so I have memories of my childhood birthdays being spent mostly with family. It was rare for me to have a party with my friends since they were all usually gone on vacations with their families. I shouldn't say this, but I remember trying my best to "fill" my parties by calling everyone in my phonebook, so often it would be a party full of B-listers. Not people I would regularly hang out with, but people who I knew at some level. Maybe they just felt sorry for me and came hoping for a good loot bag. But I digress...

Kira and Calvin were invited to celebrate their friend Emily's 3rd birthday on Monday afternoon. The timing was perfect because the party was geared to stay-at-home moms and our kids, so no having to negotiate busy weekend schedules. It was scheduled from 1pm to 3pm, and boy was it ever 2 hours of action-packed fun! Emily plus 7 of her friends. A bit of outdoor play upon arrival until the clouds loomed a bit too close.



The kids got settled in inside and got busy with the toys. Then came the cake. What an awesome idea for a birthday cake! Heidi made a flower out of cupcakes. Check this out! And no mess or hassle in cutting it, either. Brilliant!


Okay, now that we're all sugared up, time to open the gifts!


Mums & kids:


Oops, I'd better put a photo of my own kids in here! Sadly, this is the only one I managed to take:


Pin the Blanket on the Iggle-Piggle:


Okay now mommies, check out this loot bag! It includes a homemade colouring book with crayons, homemade play-dough in an awesome plastic sealed storage container, a homemade (okay, so it's kind of pirated, oops!) DVD of In the Night Garden, cookies with a homemade souvenir / thank you label, bubbles, and the pièce de résistance...


A homemade Tombliboo puppet (seriously, Heidi made one of these for each of the kids!):


What an awesome party it was! Thank you Heidi, for organizing such a fun gathering! And Happy Birthday Emily!! I'm sure she was pooped and elated by the end of the festivities!

Meanwhile, back at home Kira couldn't wait to dig into the play-dough and get creative!

A visit to the aunties (in Toronto!)

We hadn't been to Toronto in years, so when the opportunity arose, we decided last-minute to make the trek out by car last weekend. We were actually supposed to spend the weekend at our annual family camping retreat. But with impending thunderstorms all weekend, many family members backed out and opted to stay at home with the assurance of a dry bed to sleep in.

We didn't want to miss the opportunity to see the kids' aunties Val (my sister in-law) and Gayle, so with an invitation to their home, we quickly decided to go!

With a nice supper break and leg-stretch, it took 7 hours total from door to door. With 2 toddlers in the car, there were some hair-pulling moments. All in all, though, not so bad. Calvin pointed out every "toot-toot" he saw. Kira was relatively easy to entertain with DVDs and drawing materials. I practiced driving Standard in our VW Golf, and actually felt that I got the hang of it somewhat!

The kids really enjoyed themselves. I don't know what else to say, really. Calvin had never been to Toronto, and he continued to forge a bond with his aunties all weekend. Val and Gayle were great hosts - very laid back and always positive. The kids went to bed at midnight each night, and Kira was only too happy to sleep in the big King bed between her aunties.

We also got to visit my aunt Kazuko in Mississauga (and her family, my uncle Terry and cousin Michael). I completely forgot to pull out the camera at the end of the night (uncle Terry and Michael joined us only a short while before we left their home), but here is a photo of my auntie taken by Kira. Kinda artsy, don't you think?



Kira also took this great pic of Calvin and I, which I'm loving!


The highlight of our weekend was our Saturday outing to High Park, where we went to with a delicious picnic prepared by Val & Gayle. Kira got to climb and play in a structure shaped like a castle, Calvin got to ride a "toot-toot" train, and most importantly everyone spent a beautiful day outdoors and enjoying the day in each other's company. Here are some snapshots from the day.





Thanks, Val & Gayle, and Ikeda family, for a memorable trip to Toronto. We'll have to make it there a bit more often in the future, won't we?

Baby signing time!

I am so proud of the fact that both of my kids are starting out communication through baby sign language. Kira mastered at least 30 signs and for some reason I just never caught it on video! She started signing at around 14 months old, and it really helped her communication with me (she could tell me not only if she was hungry or thirsty, but if she wanted to drink water, milk or juice). Calvin delivered his first sign ("more") at 11 months and hasn't looked back. He can sign and verbalize his thoughts to me, which I love! Here are a few videos of some of his vocabulary. I just kind of threw words at him from the top of my head, so this is really just a sampling. I had to take a video though, before this stage passed like it did with Kira. These videos were actually taken in April. Since then, Calvin is verbalizing more and I'll try to catch some video of that too. :)





Some awesome signing DVDs are available through Baby Signing Time. They were recommended to me through my friend Rebecca, and my kids love them. Kira, who had forgotten all her signs, watched them over and over again for their entertainment value, and can now sign in American Sign Language again. Let me tell you, these are actual ASL signs, not just made-up gestures for babies.

If you're interested in taking lessons in Montreal and area, contact Amy at Talking Hands. She's a qualified instructor and a great resource person for mommies! If you're interested in babywearing and Elimination Communication (EC-ing), Amy is also your go-to person in Montreal.

I'm breathing a sigh of relief just because I actually finally documented and posted something about baby signing. Whew! That's one more action that makes my conscience rest a bit for the night.

Off to the park - yay!

On the first spring-like day last week, I took the opportunity to take the kids for a walk to a nearby park. What would usually take 10 mins took us about half an hour because Kira wanted to walk. I couldn't deny her that opportunity, because despite a little bit of a wind, it was a gorgeous day, the kind we had been waiting for all winter long.

When we got to the park, we were the only ones there! So, it was Kira's kingdom. Of course, her all-time favourite thing in the world is swinging, so she was on the swing for quite some time. Calvin ventured over to the slide and I was pleasantly surprised to see him climb and slide down unassisted (see video below). He was so proud of himself. He kept doing it over and over and over again.

I didn't get shots of the other activities, but Kira eventually made it to the slide, the seesaw, the "merry-go-round" (I don't actually know what it's called but that's what she calls it), and the play house. It's one of the older parks in the neighbourhood (Jason Park in Candiac), but a gem of a place because there is lots of shade during the summertime, and a good variety of play structures.

Looking forward to a lot of outdoor play time this spring / summer / fall!!

Parents and Kids Fair

Sometimes I really don't know why I do this to myself, but I made the decision to take my kids to the Parents and Kids Fair at Place Bonaventure again this year. I say this because I've been there before with both kids and so I knew what I was getting myself into. A crowded hall filled with mommies (some daddies), a million strollers, and of course, the many, many babies and toddlers. I was humming and haa-ing about it, ready to talk myself out of it, but then last night my cousin (in-law) Lisa called to say she would like to go, and a friend of mine e-mailed to say let's try to meet up. Friends and company are motivation enough, so I decided to go.

Last night was a blur because very little sleep was to be had. Somehow I got myself out the door by 9:10am with the car packed, nothing forgotten, not even my brain. Or, so I thought!

I parked my car a little bit far, under Place Ville-Marie. If you go, please make a note to park as close as you can to the fair, because the walk from PVM to Place Bonaventure was a really long one with Kira and I walking while I pushed Calvin in the stroller. [Note to self: toddler's pace is 5 times slower than my own. Duh!] I arrived later than hoped for, but still close to the 10am opening. Lisa beat me there. I made it just in time to dash under the lineup dividers (don't know what you call them - you know, the things that kind of hang there off posts to keep the crowds in their proper line) to pass Lisa some cash. She was about to pay admission and was missing 50 cents!

This was Lisa's first baby fair. She's expecting her first baby in 3.5 weeks. Here she is with my kids (this photo was taken around noon, when Calvin was passed out already):


Lots to see and do, mommies! Many, many exhibitors with everything from clothing, books, toys, pacifiers, slings, diapers (cloth and disposable), bottles, pumps, hair clips, photographers, RESPs, book clubs, information kiosks on breastfeeding and programs, etc. There was a food section that promoted organic food, yogourts, ice cream / sorbets, purées, rice crackers, etc. We made a brief stop there to snack. Lots of favourite stores such as: Mère et Mousses (they give you a coupon for 15% off), Bummis, Clément, Maman Kangarou, Béké Bobo. Some did smart marketing by attracting the kids to them! A shop named Anaya Enfants had a cuddly big sheep out to greet little visitors, and Kira was taken by her. She hugged the sheep about a half dozen times in all.


She was also very friendly to Santa Claus, which - trust me - is a first! Santa Claus was at the fair promoting the Village Père Noel in Val-David. Lisa turned to me and said "Hey, I recognize him!" I was thinking "Umm, that's Santa Claus. Everyone recognizes him!" but she swore it was the same Santa that she saw up at the Village a couple of years back. :)

A great diversion for kids is the sandbox. Kira took no time getting out of her socks and shoes to play in there. It was perfect timing because Calvin was in the mood for a nursing. Once she was in though, I wasn't sure how I was going to get Kira out of there. Luckily, after about 10 mins, she said: "Pee-pee, mommy!" [Note to self: Make sure to fill child with fluids when you want to get her out of an activity.]


My friend Ly-na was there selling her beautiful hairclips through Angel Lily. If you have a little girl, check out this website and Ly-na's stall at the fair. They're affordable, adorable, and best of all they actually stay in the hair! And if you subscribe to her e-mail distribution list, she's got great promotions all the time!


Just next to Angel Lily is Baby Burrito, another mom-run business by a fellow Candiac mommy. Lianne is a talented designer who produces everything from slings (both my kids lived in slings until they could walk - too bad I didn't know about Baby Burrito back then!), to blankets, changing pads, sleep sacks, hats, and "kimono" (well, actually they are more like jimbei, but that's the Japanese side of me talking, haha!). Beautiful, earthy designs, and organic fabrics available for some products. My kiddos were lucky enough to take part in a recent photo shoot at Lianne's home,which you can read a bit about in her blog. Funny how the whole referral system works, because Tanya (awesome photographer and mom) referred my kids to Lianne. Meanwhile, Tanya was referred to Lianne by Ly-na, who I referred to Tanya for photos last year. Confused? Anyway, let me just say this: the referral system works! :)
Here is Lianne showing Lisa how to wear a sling.


My only big criticism of this event is the many, many stairs everywhere which make it a pain get in and out of the hall. Although there are supposed to be Scouts there to help, I didn't see any. There was a shortage of ramps or signage to stroller-friendly routes. [Note to mommies: If you go, take an umbrella stroller over the classic stroller, in case you want or need to carry it up some stairs.]

We were out of there by around noon, which was perfect. It was getting to be a real zoo in there. I'm not one for navigating through crowds. Stopped by the food court for lunch, where a chocolate milk box cost $1.50 and I had to get 2 of course, because Calvin insisted, and then when presented with it, didn't drink from it. [Note to self: Don't forget to pack beverage from home.] Kira got tomato sauce all over her white top. [Do I really need a note to self here? Really now, how smart was that of me to leave home without bibs and to dress my child in white?] By the time we left to go back to the parking lot, I felt both sorry for and proud of Kira, who walked the entire way without complaining. What a trooper. She passed out soon after getting into the car, and Calvin fell asleep minutes after.

If you venture out to Place Bonaventure this weekend, I hope some of my little notes help you out! Write me back a note / comment if you go!

Mother Goose Rhyme Time

Above is a photo of Kira holding Mother Goose, and sitting with Marie-Lyne and Laurel, the 2 animators of Mother Goose Rhyme Time. Sadly, we took part in our final session just last week. But we fully enjoyed this experience! (Calvin would have been in the shot as well, but he kept running over to me while I tried to take the photo. Toddlers - what can you do, right?)

When I was pregnant with Calvin, I was fortunate enough to have found a fantastic activity here on the South Shore, that seemed like it was created just for my little Kira! Sponsored by the South Shore Reading Council, it was held at the time in the basement of a beautiful little church in Lemoyne. The venue has since changed (to an elementary school in Greenfield Park), but the environment remains a wonderful one to actively engage little bodies and minds in a joy of reading, learning, playing, and singing together.


Mother Goose Rhyme time takes place once a week on Thursday mornings, and it is an English-language activity. Its popularity has grown tremendously and so there is a waiting list to join / participate. Each day upon arrival, the atmosphere is down to earth and relaxed. The babies / toddlers engage in some free play, and the mommies chat. Then we start with a welcoming song where a stuffed Mother Goose is passed around as we learn each others' names. There are rhymes, chants, songs (sometimes with descriptive actions, sometimes with baby bounced on our laps), and the occasional stand-up or jump-up song. This is followed by some free play, some healthy snacks and juice for the little ones (tea is even served for the mommies!), and an opportunity for the babies to engage with their mommies, with other babies, or with toys / books. Then an animator tells a story which is then re-told by us moms (to encourage the oral tradition of storytelling, not only through books). And finally, some marching songs, some lullabies, and goodbye to all. All this in 75 minutes!


This activity is so well-organized, engaging, and fun! And best (and most incredible) of all, it is completely free! We were surprised to be presented on the last day of the session, with a bag full of books for each child, provided by the Born to Read organization.



I've been reading daily to Kira since she was an infant and to this day, she love, love, loves books! Now that she's 3 and a half years old, she felt a bit out of sorts in this room filled with babies, so I opted not to join again for the coming session. However, I am filled with gratitude for having had the opportunity to take part in this activity with both of my kids. Calvin is 16 months old now, and although he doesn't realize it yet, this experience is going to continue to shape him in a positive way. If he grows to love books even half as much as Kira does, I'm destined to raise 2 scholars!

Zenshin - Arashi Daiko's 25th anniversary celebration

I'm proud to be involved in an activity that precedes mommyhood and that continues to be a passion in my life. I started playing taiko (Japanese drums) as a teenager, and have performed with 3 groups to date. I am currently a member of Arashi Daiko, which I joined at the beginning of 1998 right after moving to Montreal. What a fantastic group of people, and what a joy it is to play taiko with this group! I feel so privileged to know these members who collectively and individually, are so kind, generous, and genuine. And everyone is such a hard worker and shares this passion for taiko! I could go on and on, but I'll save details for another blog post.

Over the past several months, Arashi Daiko had been hard at work preparing for our 25th anniversary concert which took place March 13-15, 2009. As a community-based group, we are all volunteers with no paid staff, so we take care of all the administrative tasks as well as performance-related duties. So on top of 10 to 15 hours of practices each week (Friday nights, Saturday mornings and afternoons, Sunday mornings and afternoons), our members looked after equipment maintenance, ordering new equipment / instruments, designing and ordering the posters, t-shirts and programs, arranging for hall rental, sound and lighting technicians, video recording crew, costume designer, etc. We were writing / receiving over 60 emails a day in the weeks leading up to the concert, about all these matters, and this on top of the regular administrative duties we deal with in terms of communicating with the public, teaching Sunday classes, finding ways to advertise, maintaining the budget / accounts, etc. This project was a fulltime job on top of a fulltime job.

Here are the members making the kasa to be worn in a group dance piece, "Hana-awase", arranged by member Kayo Yasuhara.



I actually don't have any performance photos since we hired an official photographer and flash photography by audience members was prohibited. I'll try to find some to post at a later date (new costumes and everything!). But let me tell you, it was a great experience and we are so grateful to have had a fantastic backstage crew who ensured that everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Here is the happy crew:


After 3 consecutive days of concerts and the gazillion hours we put into the show, we were all spent but exhilerated. The following weekend Arashi Daiko's performing members along with our partners / families, went to a beautiful retreat called Jouvence (that was referred to us by my auntie) in Orford (Eastern Townships). We stayed in 2 beautiful cottages, and we spent time all together, sometimes in smaller groups, sometimes alone. The food was yummy and the hospitality wonderful. Mommy friends, talk to me about it because it was very baby / child friendly and the kids had an awesome time! Our members took advantage of the setting to spoil ourselves with massages, hottub / sauna time, nature walks, snowshoeing, toboganning, lounging around, etc. Here's a shot from the broomball game that some of the members played in. This was taken just as Michio was scoring a goal! The game had to be suspended when Yumi gave Sandra a fat lip, but that is a whole other story...


So now we are back to a mere 5 hours a week of scheduled practices, and gearing up for a busy spring / summer schedule that is already filling up. We are ready for this season, since now we are playing at a new level, with new repertoire / arrangements. Most importantly, we're breathing together and we are in tune to each other as to when it is important to be serious, and when to let loose and just enjoy each other's company.